Dinner at Jorg’s

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Dinner at Jorg’s

A merry crowd gathered in the garden of Jörg Pfützner’s home, for an evening of wine and food, including Bruwer Raats, David Clarke, Harry Haddon, Roland Peens, Greg Sherwood, Justin Knock and a few others. We came in good cheer, many armed with smart bottles.

Proceedings kicked off with a glass of Egon Müller’s Scharzhofberg Kabinett 2002 from magnum. This was quite sensational, and German magnums look so good, too. I didn’t take notes on this or the other whites, but it had sweetness, precision, concentration and freshness.

The second white was Dirk Niepoort’s Redoma Reserva Branco 2007. This was complex and rich, with some nutty oxidative notes. It was fine, but tasted more evolved than I was expecting it to be. This was followed by a wonderful bottle of Josko Gravner’s Anfora 2005, with its fresh, grippy skin tannins working as a superb foil for the fruit. A serious bottle, served from decanter.

Then to reds, served blind in pairs. The first pair were remarkably good, and while I got them asSyrah, I didn’t get a lot further, which I should have done.

Jamet Côte Rôtie 2006 Northern Rhône, France
Initially quite ripe, but then settling down in the glass to reveal notes of olive, graphite, meat and mineral spicy black cherry fruit. Sweet but really fine and fresh. Lovely balance, with fruit but an elegant savouriness, too. 95/100

Rene Rostaing Brune et Blonde Côte-Rôtie 2006 Nôrthern Rhône
Linear, precise and mineral with great acidity and precision, as well as hints of olive, meat and spice. Grippy tannins and good acidity. Really fine with a strongly savoury character. 94/100

The next two I guessed as Châteauneuf du Pape. Close enough?

Gourt de Mautens Rasteau 2008 Rhône France
Spicy, animal and rich with tarry, intense, rich, lush black fruits. Great concentration, but has a somewhat rustic edge. Bold and maybe a bit bretty? 91/100

Gourt de Mautens Rasteau 2007 Rhône, France
Spicy and tarry with a bit of mint, as well as fresh black fruits. Very ripe and concentrated with a bit of pepper and olive, as well as sweet pure fruit. 92/100

The next two I had no clue about. I initially started out as older Bordeaux for the first!

Sadie Columella 2004 Swartland, South Africa
Fine, expressive, ripe and a little green with some meat and spice notes. Bright and juicy with some savoury notes. 93/100

Terroir a Limit Arbossar Priorat 2006 Spain
This is Eben’s Priorat wine. Spicy, rich and ripe with dense, lush, sweet black fruits. A powerful wine. 93/100

The next wine wasn’t blind, but it was one of my favourites.

Niepoort Laderas 2008 Ribera Sacra, Spain
Amazingly fresh, peppery nose with fine black pepper notes as well as silky black cherries. It’s ripe and full but really fresh with it, showing amazing mineral and pepper notes. Firm tannins but they are clothed in sweetness. 95/100

Another great wine:

Clos Mougeard Saumur Champigny 2005 Loire, France
Precise and mineral with notes of tar and fresh black cherries, as well as blackberries and plums. Grippy and substantial. 93/100

Produttori Barbaresco 2006 Piedmont, Italy
Dense, spicy and grippy with nice black fruit and notes of tar and spice. Very grippy and dense, but I like the sweet black cherry fruit. 92/100

Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulets 2005 Burgundy
From a vineyard that’s quite high up the slope, this is fine, fresh and dense, with fresh pure fruit and some peppery grip. Lovely presence here. 93/100

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